Last Days

I have made it back home from my 30 day trip around the world.  Although I had a wonderful time, it has been slightly challenging transitioning back to the time change and the culture/life here in the Midwest.  But now that I am home, I should inform you about my last few days in Germany and finally get some pictures on my blog.

On Monday, Maria, her sister (Kathi), and myself traveled by train to Innsbrook, Austria.  Innsbrook. Is located in a valley and surrounded on all sides by mountains.  We enjoyed wondering around the city and I was amazed by the beauty of the city.  The buildings were very traditional, but many were different muted colors which made the city seem bright and lively.  While we were there, we also did a little shopping at different stores.  I was able to find some ornaments for my "travel the world" Christmas tree.  We had a ton of fun walking around the river and seeing the city, but were quite saddened when it began to rain outside. Although this cut our trip a little shorter than we wanted,  we were able to find a nice ice cream parlor where we sat down an enjoyed a nice caramel sundae before catching the train back to Germany.

Tuesday, we traveled to castle, Neuschwanstein to be exact.  The castle was built in 1868 by Germany's king Ludwig II.  Although the castle was never completed because the king died unexpectedly, it was beautifully decorated and ahead of its time.  The castle contained a modern telephone for its time and a flushing toilet.  We had a lot of fun touring the castle and learning about the castle.  After spending some time at the castle, we decided it was time to head home.  Maria invited a couple friends over and made homemade pancakes for everyone.  Although it took some failed trails before they mastered the technique, we finally got it figured out.  It was a great bonding experience and we enjoyed working together to make the meal.

Wednesday, my last day in Germany, Maria and a couple of friends and myself traveled to Munich for the day.  We saw were Maria goes to school and an open market that is open every day.  I think I have a love for open markets.  They are so interesting and full of life.  I enjoy knowing everything is fresh and home grown.  I think I could easily get use to shopping at an open market.  We enjoyed some time in a park before we headed to Germany's past Olympic stadium.  That was nice to see and we traveled up to the top of a building where we could see all of Munich.  It was quite the sight to see, especially with the sun setting in the background.  It was a great way to end the day and an excellent way to end my stay in Germany.